This invention relates generally to ear protecting devices and, more particularly, is directed to a self-supporting device to be worn on the ear to keep the ear warm.
Ear protecting devices are well known in the prior art, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,325,150; 2,378,398; 2,582,907; and 3,112,493. Other devices of less relevance are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,922,725; 4,459,707; and 4,551,861.
Of the former patents U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,493 discloses an ear muff or protector having an inner core of an elongated planar configuration bent in a loop with opposite edges spaced slightly from each other. The opposite edges are secured to each other by a flexible, inelastic tape, thereby maintaining the inner core in a loop configuration with the opposite ends thereof spaced from each other. When in the loop configuration, the inner core defines a central, oval-shaped aperture through which the ear can fit. The ear protector is also formed with an outer protective exposed layer secured to the inner core in covering relation to the central aperture and an inner layer secured to the opposite side of the inner core and having an aperture in substantial alignment with the oval-shaped aperture in the inner core.
However, with this patent, since the opposite edges of the inner core are secured together in spaced apart relation by the inelastic tape, a slight bulge in the ear protector occurs thereat. In other words, the ear protector does not have a uniform thickness throughout the entire circumference thereof. As a result, there may be discomfort to the user of the ear protector.
The above other discussed patents fail to provide a solution to this problem. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,378,398, the shell is stamped out of a flat plate, and the ends of the narrow strip are spaced from each other. The ends of the flat plate are held together by a piece of elastic material, such as a rubber band. However, in addition to the fact that securement by a rubber band is not very good, this patent also provides the same bulkiness by the addition of the rubber band, thereby providing discomfort to the user.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,325,150, opposite ends of the inner core or blank are connected to each other in overlapping relation, thereby also increasing the thickness of the ear protector at this point, resulting in discomfort to the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,582,907 discloses an ear protector in which the inner core is made of a flat plate of rigid material such as cardboard or the like. However, it is clear from this patent that the flat plate is cut out in the shape of an ear and is not formed from a flat, substantially rectangular blank having its opposite ends secured together. Thus, although this patent provides a substantially constant thickness of the ear protector, it is difficult to manufacture and use, particularly since the ear protector must have a slightly convex configuration.